Capt. Jerry Dilsaver grew up on the same Southport, N.C. waterfront that author Robert Ruark so finely detailed in his book, The Old Man and the Boy.  His father, who was a shrimper and later a boat captain for the local river pilots association, helped foster a love of fishing in the coastal rivers and ocean, which is still going strong.  

After completing a degree at the University of North Carolina and East Carolina University, Capt. Dilsaver returned to his native North Carolina coast, started Carolina Adventure Magazine, and became a partner in Carolina Adventure Publishing Company. 

The Raleigh based News and Observer Newspaper purchased Carolina Adventure in late 1991 and began publishing it in January of 1992.  Capt. Dilsaver signed on with the new owners to become the Saltwater Editor and Central NC Coast Regional Editor.  

In April 2002, Capt. Dilsaver left Carolina Adventure to become a Staff Writer and Special Events Coordinator for North Carolina Sportsman Magazine.  With the beginning of South Carolina Sportsman Magazine in 2006, Capt. Dilsaver also assumed the responsibilities of being a Staff Writer and the Special Events Coordinator for this sister publication.  In 2006, Capt. Dilsaver also became a regular contributor and columnist for FLW Outdoors Saltwater Magazine. 

In the declining economy of early 2009, Capt. Dilsaver was downsized by Sportsman Publishing, but he continues to write for the magazines on a part-time basis and assist on special projects.  He continues to do this, plus limited assignments for other publications and weekly columns in The State Port Pilot Newspaper (Southport, NC) and Carteret News-Times Newspaper (Morehead City, NC). 

Fishing has always been a passion for Capt. Dilsaver.  Beginning in 1987, he became a sponsored competitor in North Carolina king mackerel tournaments.  His successes started to mount up and with the inception of the Southern Kingfish Association (SKA) in 1991, he immediately became a top competitor in their yearly series.  By the mid 1990’s he had recorded successes in king mackerel tournaments from the Gulf of Mexico to Virginia.   

With numerous top five Divisional and Open placings, Capt. Dilsaver has qualified for the SKA National Championship every year that he has been a member.  While fishing in the SKA National Championship twelve times, he has recorded one win, three top ten and four top twenty finishes.             

With 1998 as the inaugural year of the U.S. Anglers Association and its king mackerel tournament trail, Capt. Dilsaver led his crew to the Top Overall Placing and garnered “Angler of the Year” honors for their effort.  In 1999 they fell just a few points shy of a repeat and had to settle for the Runner-Up position.  However, they backed this up with Fourth Place in the “Best 3 of 4 Competition” and landed the Second Largest King Mackerel from their Northern Region.  Continuing with that same consistency, their 2000 season produced a Third Place Overall and Fifth Place in the Top Team Competition.   

During the 2000 season, Capt. Dilsaver also returned to SKA competition on a limited schedule.  In 2001, he returned to a full schedule of SKA competition as if on a mission.  After leading his fishing team to several high tournament placings and a Third Place Finish in SKA Division 3, they traveled to Ft. Pierce, Florida for the SKA National Championship, where they captured the win and title “2001 National Champions”. 

In 2003, Capt. Dilsaver and the NC Sportsman Fishing Team finished the season with a flourish.  Citing rough weather, they only fished one of three possible days in the US Anglers Association Championship and used his 235 KenCraft Challenger, even though competing in a class for boats 24 feet and longer.  Capt. Dilsaver and crew finished in Tenth Place in that class and would have finished in Second Place in the 23 feet and Under Class. 

During 2004, Capt. Dilsaver and crew fished close to home and scored several good placing in area tournaments.  These combined to score a Fifth Place finish in SKA Division 12, while weighing only two of a possible three fish. 

Experimenting with inshore tournaments during 2004, Capt. Dilsaver teamed with Mercruiser Representative Mark Skeen and Capt. Rick “Rodman” Bennett to capture Second Place Overall in the Cape Fear Red-Trout Celebrity Classic, held at Wrightsville Beach, NC.  Team member Mark Skeen also received an award for the Most Drum caught during the tournament by an individual. 

In addition to SKA competition, during 2005, Capt. Dilsaver participated as the alternate Captain for the Alan Vester Automotive Fishing Team in the Wal-Mart FLW King Mackerel Tour.  They scored a 10^th Place Overall finish in the Tour and then placed 11^th during the championship tournament. 

For 2006, Capt. Dilsaver was selected to lead the Seaswirl Fishing Team for the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Series and the SKA Divisional Series.  They had a good, but not great year and missed the FLW Championship while qualifying for the SKA Championship. 

Beginning in 2007, Capt. Dilsaver has enjoyed several years of semi-retirement from tournament fishing.  Since then he has competed in a handful of king mackerel tournaments and red drum tournaments while enjoying many days of "fun" fishing.   

On August 1, 2007, Capt. Dilsaver was inducted into the SKA Hall of Fame.  The voting for this honor is by the members of the SKA and Capt. Dilsaver is extremely pleased and grateful his fellow competitors selected him for this honor.    

In 2008, Capt. Dilsaver fished a limited number of tournaments and became interested in kayak fishing.  He spent most of his time in the inshore backwaters, but caught the largest king by a member of the Oak Island Fishing Club for the year.  

For 2009, Capt. Dilsaver again enjoyed a year of tournament retirement, while conducting numerous boating and fishing seminars at boat dealers, tackle shops and in community recreation departments.  While not competing, he assisted Blue Water Promotions with their North Carolina King Mackerel and Offshore Fishing Tournaments.  During the year he began working as a guide for The Adventure Company in Southport, N.C. and specialized in kayak fishing.   

In February 2010, Capt. Dilsaver was selected to become a member of the Hobie Kayaks Fishing Team for the Southeast U.S.  He participated in a few kayak tournaments, with one top ten finish.  He again conducted boating and fishing seminars at boat dealers, tackle shops and in community recreation departments, plus assisted Blue Water Promotions with their N.C. and S.C. fishing tournaments and guided kayak fishing trips through The Adventure Company in Southport. 

In July of 2010, Capt Dilsaver began an association with the Warrior Athlete Reconditioning (WAR) program in the Wounded Warriors Battalion at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base.  He travels to Camp Lejeune weekly during the warm months and takes members of the Wounded Warriors Fishing Club on fishing outings on base and in the immediate area.   

While Capt. Dilsaver’s tournament success is impressive, it is his dedication to the sport of fishing and helping beginning anglers develop successful skills and techniques that really set him apart from the crowd.  He spends approximately 60 days each year conducting seminars, manning booths at fishing and outdoor shows, giving in-store product demonstrations, and otherwise promoting saltwater fishing. 

Add a handful of tournaments each year to this and it is extremely easy to see why so many fishing related businesses have chosen to support Capt. Dilsaver as their “Fishing Ambassador”.  He is supported in his efforts by Hobie Kayaks, Bay Rider Boats, Mercury Outboards, Sea Striker, Star Rods, WaveSpin Reels, Power-Pole, Lowrance, Betts Tackle Ltd., Fish-Ng Accessories, Eagle Claw Hooks, MirrOlure, Saltwater Assassin, Maps Unique, Breathe Like A Fish fishing shirts, Ono’s Trading Company and Capps Promotions.   

In addition, Capt. Dilsaver is a working member of the outdoor press.  He is a member in good standing of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) and the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA).  He a Contributing Writer for North Carolina Sportsman Magazine, South Carolina Sportsman Magazine, the Fishing Columnist for the Carteret County News-Times Newspaper, the Outdoor Columnist for the State Port Pilot Newspaper and a noted freelance writer and still photographer, with credits in numerous publications.

Capt. Dilsaver also serves in a volunteer capacity on the Southeast Regional Advisory Committee for the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission, on the Advisory Board for the North Carolina Saltwater Fishing Tournament for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, and on the Board of Directors for the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association and the North Carolina Public Access Foundation.  He served as Tournament Director for the King of the Cape Classic King Mackerel Tournament from 2002 through 2007 and on the Long Bay Lady Angler Tournament Committee from 2005-2008.  Furthermore, he maintains an information web site, www.captjerry.com, which offers fishing tips, current fishing reports, and more.  

When you attend a seminar given by Capt. Dilsaver, expect to learn a lot of When’s, Where’s, What’s, Why’s, and How’s.  His knowledge is based on over 30 years of recreational fishing, 20 years of tournament fishing, several years as a commercial fisherman, and is tempered by more than 15 years of instructing fishing in various formats.  Drawing from his many years of fishing the southeast coast, he will often refer to your favorite waters with knowledge that can only have come from personal experience.  Don’t hesitate to ask questions—he welcomes them.